River City Meat Company, Inc.

Location: Kansas City, Missouri

Industry: Wholesale – Meat and Poultry

DVS Role: Sell-Side Advisory to Business Owner

 

The Buyer: River City Meat Company, Inc. was a family-owned meat wholesaler specializing in the processing and sale of high-end animal proteins with a focus on the white-linen restaurant market.

 

The Seller: Alma’s Farm Fresh Meats is a co-op meat processor, smokehouse and regional dry aging facility for animal protein products. Alma’s sells to both the retail and wholesale markets.

 

The Close: The partners who owned River City Meat had reached retirement age, but were unsure how to source a buyer for their company. The sale of their business was complicated by the small margin, capital intensive nature of their industry. DVS found the Sellers a Strategic buyer for their company that was familiar with the industry and appreciated the value of their business. The deal closed confidentially on mutually beneficial terms.

Adams Gabbert & Associates

Location: Kansas City, MO

Industry: Professional Services- Strategic Alignment and Business Operations Consulting

DVS Role: Sell-Side Advisory to Business Owner

 

The Buyer: Mariner Capital Partners is the private equity arm of Mariner Wealth Advisors, located in Leawood, Kansas.

 

The Seller: Adams Gabbert is a premier, minority-owned consulting company specializing in operations consulting: project management, process excellence, strategic alignment, risk management, and staffing.

 

The Close: The owners had grown Adams Gabbert into a successful regional firm but they felt that they needed help to take their company to the next level. When the ownership approached DVS they were uncertain as to whether they wanted to sell the company that they had built or to franchise their concept nationally. DVS helped them identify financial security as being their primary priority and set out to find the ideal buyer. DVS confidentially found a buyer that gave the sellers the flexibility to stay on within the new company in an enjoyable role but also rewarded them with the financial security that they had been looking for.

Labtech

Location: Kansas City, Missouri

Industry: Staffing and Recruiting – Laboratory Scientists

DVS Role: Sell-Side Advisory to Business
The Buyer: Corey and Norma Orton sought to go into business together after separate corporate careers. Though living in the area of Des Moines, Iowa, at the time, the Ortons expressed a willingness to relocate for the right opportunity.
The Seller: Labtech is a premiere staffing company that specializes in the placement of both temporary and full time scientific professionals for the food and beverage, clinical, pharmaceutical, and medical industries. The owner, Ms. Heather Norris, had operated the company for 12 years, and initially contacted DVS to assist her in acquiring a second company. In the course of her search, she decided to sell Labtech in order to create more liquidity for her other acquisition while also removing the distraction of running 2 companies at once.
The Close: Labtech had clients in food business so Norma’s career with Wells Enterprises, owner of Blue Bunny Ice Cream and other brands, was meaningful despite her (and Corey’s) lack of experience in staffing. Norma led the acquisition and DVS ensured that Heather assisted with transition of ownership for a year. DVS also provided assistance with the financial structure of the transaction to provide the desired liquidity to Heather for her other pursuits.